Senses
by Freaking Cage
Summary: Sena has matured, and we take a look at several people who helped. Sena/take a look.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: If I owned Eyeshield 21, my version of 'tackle' would be very different.

* * *

Sena rubbed the back of his neck lightly as he watched Shin run by. His body's memory of Shin's brutal tackles were forever lodged into his subconscious, and even if Sena had wanted to keep certain restrictions on his body, this one could never be denied. He pinched the skin tightly and tried to rub the muscles underneath loose, not really understanding how a simple memory was so stressful on his body.

_It had hurt more than he'd remembered. Sena had been dragged, shoved and shot at more times than he could count since beginning American football, but he never really remembered just how painful Shin was when he went down for a straight tackle._

_Sena's back felt like it'd been beaten with a hammer, a human sized hammer that was still crushing him beneath one and a half times his weight. He was stuck, pinned like a butterfly between the fingers of a giant, and the worst part?_

_He hadn't even seen it coming._

Shin jogged by calmly, or calmly for his standards. He whipped by yippy dogs and their owners, old couples taking in the fresh breeze, and giggling girls whose skirts flew up dramatically at the rush of wind following after Shin.

Sena smiled as Shin passed on, not hearing the barking, the chatter, or the indignant 'kya~!'s coming from the ladies.

Shin was, as ever, in his own world.

"Shin-san!" Sena called out, waving his arm back and forth. It was ignored. Sena let out a sigh and gripped his bag. He was sore from today's practice, but he'd always found that Shin let off a good vibe, always causing Sena to want to get up and practice again. Besides, they were headed in the same direction, and Sena could use the company, as Monta was already home and Mamori-nee was off shopping for the latest Swiffer model.

Sena took off at a high speed, feeling the rush of the wind go by and the adrenaline course through his veins. His legs tightened and he knew he'd feel the burn tonight, but it was okay, because the ice always felt so good on his legs.

"Shin-san!" a slight cock of Shin's head turned and Sena bounced in his step to catch up. He jogged alongside the other boy, satisfied that Shin appeared to slow down for the smallest second, before immediately returning up to his normal speed.

"Kobayakawa Sena." he stated, announcing his presence. It was so like Shin to say his name like it was a challenge in itself.

_"I'll see you at the Finals."_

_It had always been said, it had always been reached for. Shin was the boy Sena had worked so hard for, the one that he'd nearly killed himself for trying to become better and better, but something had gone wrong._

_Why was he still so far ahead? Why was he still unreachable?_

_It didn't make sense, it should have been equal now. They'd _both_ worked hard, they'd both spent nights dreaming of it, so why couldn't it be so?_

_Why could Sena just never seem to match up to Shin?_

"H-hey! I was on my way home," Sena bounced some more, getting the blood to flow better and for his flexibility to come back. Shin said nothing in reply, and Sena felt his cheeks turn red and his confidence level take an emminent dive. "I-I mean, if you would rather run alone or something I can respect that after all I am kind of intruding on your training schedule in fact think I have somewhere to be right now so I'll just go ahead and take off in this opposite dir--" Sena's reflex reaction was to immediately apologize for any possible inconvenience, and he would have continued into the downward spiral until he wound up on his knees begging to be given mercy if he hadn't been interrupted.

"Kobayakawa Sena."

"Y-yes?" Sena tried to convince himself it was the excess running that made his voice sound so high pitched.

He received no answer. Sena watched the rhythm of the boy beside him, up and down like a powerful horse, driven to a spot that it could not be deterred from. Sena could nearly see the muscles beneath his pullover stretching and accommodating to Shin's activity, and he found himself gulping dry saliva.

Sena gathered up his nearly lost courage. "Sh-Shin-san?" he asked.

Shin looked in his direction quickly and then flickered instantly back to the ground.

_Dirt splashed upon his helmet and Sena's eyes grew wide with horror. Could it be possible? He'd thought for maybe a second it was a fluke, it couldn't be, it couldn't be, but it was so. Shin Seijuro had surpassed him, even in the speed of light._

_How?_

_Rain fell down on his eyeshield and the mud rain down slowly, covering his eyes as though he didn't need them anymore. It was a silent grave in the making. The beating rain served as a continuous rhythm not unlike a gravedigger humming through a field of death._

_It would be their ruin. It would be their loss._

_Sena tried to look through the shield into the sky, but all he saw was dirt._

Sena's legs slowed to a halt, already knowing that the third house in the right was the place called home and was to be their haven.

"Would..." Sena gulped again, seeing Shin stop and gaze at him intensely from the corner of his eye. He stood firmly, chest heaving from the run and breath showing up clearly in the cold. Huge billows of breath made their way to Sena's short rapid ones, and he realized they were standing awfully close, closer than most rivals usually would. He could read every movement of Shin's at this point, and the pin at his neck pricked again, remembering the trident tackle that had taken him down numerous times, that had nearly defeated him.

_The look in Shin's eyes had been more than he could bear. He looked down on him, as though he'd once held gold that'd turned to dust._

_'Is this it?' he seemed to say._

_Sena could hardly breathe._

_After all he'd gone through, all of the training, the pushing, the emotions, this was how it would end. The last thing he would ever get from this person, Shin, would be disappointment._

_Why did it hurt so bad?_

Sena smiled. "Would you like some tea?"

_The rain had cleared up and Sena wiped off the grime from his face in between getting kicked in the ass by numerous teammates. His smile couldn't fade, but neither could his firm expression._

_He'd won._

_He looked out across the field at Shin, who stood there, unmoving. It was only a moment, but something flashed in Shin's eyes. Sena could never explain it, and so never bothered mentioning to anyone, but something was felt there, out on that field, one of incredible losses and one of incredible gains._

_It took one look, and Sena remembered why he'd pushed himself so hard._

Shin's breath evened out, and he took a small step to the side, neither forward and neither backward. He hesitated for a moment, and it made Sena hopeful.

"Koba--"

"Sena."

Shin paused. "...Sena." he looked straight into his eyes with no-nonsense business. it almost made Sena want to giggle, as it made him giddy and nervous to be in the presence of someone so held together, but the situation shut him up cleanly. Shin turned a bit more. "I would like to know your exact training methods."

Sena smiled wide and his shoulders shook a bit from his released giggle. All his nervousness and tension ceased, and he was left only feeling happy, and more refreshed than he'd ever be able to explain.

"I'll put out some food then too, it'll take a while to explain Hiruma-san's...methods." Sena giggled again and opened his home gate.

"Do they contain Vitamin b16? In fourteen minutes I need to intake a significant amount of protein as well as some amino acids."

Sena paused, smile falling and a thoughtful expression taking over.

He shrugged. "Idunno?"

Shin followed him to the gate. "Perhaps I can replace them with sucrose, of the minimal kind." he turned. "Just this once."

Sena shrugged again--he didn't know chemistry on any level--and led the way. They walked to the door steadily, and Sena couldn't help but smile.

Their steps were exactly in sync, and the sun had just peaked behind the clouds. Sena didn't know much about signs, but he did know this: Shin and Sena were much more than just rivals.

* * *

A/N: Wow, that was incredibly _lame_.

Geh, so here's the deal. I'm doing a five-themed fic here, each one featuring a different pairing (with Sena, likenoduh). The last chapter, number six, will be the 'real' pairing fic, where you the readers (well, reviewers) get to decide which pairing with Sena you liked the best that I've done here, and the sixth chapter will feature that couple represented. Make sense? :D

But really, if you guys have anything you want to see, let me know. By this I don't mean, "Musashi in a dress!" I mean, "Maybe something with a theme of blah blah," or "I'd like to see Sena's vulnerability/strength come out". Along these lines please.

Also, next pairings I am doing:

SenaxAkaba

SenaxKakei

SenaxHiruma

SenaxYamato

I hope you enjoy them. :)


	2. Chapter 2

The timing of this makes no sense, so please, don't think about that too hard. :D

* * *

Kakei sighed as he entered the water, wondering what he was really doing. Sure there was the argument that water training was very important, able to help define muscles in the back and shoulders and such, but this wasn't the reason Kakei was entering the water. Swimming was Mizumachi's thing, not Kakei's.

He shrugged off his shirt and entered the water, admiring the blackness of its color, as it was something around 2 in the morning.

It was near summer and the temperature was beyond hot and humid, making the water a gracious welcome to Kakei's sweating body and nearly feverish forehead. Water lapped against his skin and rolled away, small waves only defined by the light of the moon. It was hot enough to duck down under the water and feel completely refreshed, but this was not the reason Kakei was getting in the water either.

"Kakei-kun?" A small form turned his way, small droplets of water not having enough cohesion to stick to the spiky hair. Black eyes turned his way and Kakei smiled out of more than just politeness.

_"Hey, Kakei! I met Eyeshield! He's the American transfer student you were talking about right?" Mizumachi smiled a ridiculously large smile, waving to Kakei much too enthusiastically. Kakei could feel himself nearly back up, shocked at the connotation that _this boy_ was claiming to be Eyeshield 21._

_His slender build was enough of a problem without being nearly a foot shorter than his memory of the real Eyeshield. Not only that, but the boy was shaking below Mizumachi, waving his hands quickly as to avoid any more attention._

_Who was this perpetrator?_

"Hello Sena-kun, what are you doing here?" Kakei hadn't meant to sound accusative, but Sena's shoulders tensed immediately and the boy's eyes grew wider.

"W-w-w-w-w-well I w-w-w-was hot and I th-th-thought maybe th-th-th--"

"You're abusing too many syllables Sena-kun, just relax." Kakei tried assuring him. He wasn't sure if it actually did anything however, as Sena merely closed his mouth meekly and began sinking under the water, only the top of his head visible.

Silence took over the night, retaken by the sound of grasshoppers as Kakei's ears began adjusting to the surroundings. They were so loud he could feel his ears vibrating, and he sank into the water, somewhat matching Sena's position, excepting the fact he was much taller, and even his head had a good inch or two on Sena's own. Kakei could feel the small waves Sena's arms made, back and forth in the water and it made him shiver slightly as the frequency of the water's pressure lapped onto his abdomen muscles, lightly coercing them to follow his own advice.

_Kakei looked down on the small boy and nearly growled. "He wasn't short like you are." He was looked up at with an open mouth, and he was nearly positive the eyes must have been large as saucers._

_Short, it wasn't the only thing wrong about this _Eyeshield_. His stance lacked confidence and strength. The way his hands gripped his bag handle too harshly clearly gave away his fear and shock._

_He was completely the opposite of the person Kakei remembered as Eyeshield 21. Thin fingers trembled at the boy's side and Kakei frowned, downright angry._

_What was this boy doing?_

"It's hot, isn't it?" Kakei said. He didn't mind silence, but from the way Sena was shaking slightly in the water, he had the feeling the boy was nervous.

"K-K-K-Kakei-kun?" Sena asked, coming out of the water a bit more.

"Yeah?" Kakei's ears perked forward and the sound of grasshoppers left his brain's attention.

"I-I'm sorry." Sena gulped, and the water around him continued to shudder in light feverish movements. The small waves created by Sena's trembling floated over to Kakei, the small waves becoming a bit larger and farther in between. Kakei marveled at the honesty of physics.

"It's hardly important Sena-kun."

"But I lied to you." Kakei couldn't see much of Sena, but he could see his downcast eyes, lightly shimmering from the reflecting vibrations of the water. "I lied to everyone." A sigh was heard and Sena ducked his head under water, coming straight back up and shaking out his hair. Small flecks of water attached themselves to Kakei's chest, but he didn't really notice. "I feel awful about that."

Kakei shrugged. "It wasn't your fault."

"O-of course it wasn't! W-well I mean it was but it wasn't, I could have stopped it but I couldn't have too you see and you know and maybe it was my fault at the same time it wasn't and I'm really just unsure and confused about how I should really feel?" Sena's eyes were large and apprehensive, staring at Kakei over the water, and Kakei smiled.

"So you don't feel bad?" Kakei asked.

Sena paused. "But shouldn't I?"

Kakei smiled, leaning back against the edge of the pool and looking across the surface to the small spiked head peeping out reluctantly from the water.

_"The only one I can't forgive is the fake Eyeshield!" Kakei clenched the small porcelain handle on his tea cup and ground his teeth angrily._

_How could that pathetic little boy, the one running away from the other team really consider himself even in the same class as the real Eyeshield 21? Sure he was fast, but that tiny body was hardly enough to push away a dog, much less a real lineman. He had no business meddling in the affairs of men, no business fighting against the big boys of the competition._

_If he wanted the name, fine. But he would have to take down Kakei first, and Kakei would never give up without a fight. _

_That runt would have to pry the title away from Kakei's motionless fingers._

"It's not really my place to judge."

Slowly the small figure began to rise out of the water, inch by inch. Kakei's smile widened when white teeth flashed as they came up, the water dripping down the young boy's pointed chin.

Sena made his way over to Kakei and sat down next to him on the small jutted out piece of concrete, while Kakei easily stood in the five foot deep level of the pool.

"Spring tournament is starting soon." Sena said quietly.

"Yeah." Kakei answered, turning towards him. "I'll be sure to take you down this time."

A different light gleamed in Sena's eyes, a light that made Kakei stand a little taller.

"I'll show you just how strong I've become." Sena said, voice more grounded than it had been for the whole of the conversation.

_Kakei felt himself tumble._

_That small body, that in any other circumstance Kakei could have crushed with a mere swipe of his hand, had just passed him. Had _beaten_ him. Kakei stumbled forward and reached out his hands, hardly registering what was really happening. Not only had this fake Eyeshield 21 beaten him, but he had crushed him._

_They would win the game. His strength hadn't been enough._

_"TIMEOUT!"_

_Kakei whipped around, hearing the desperate cry and knowing things hadn't gone according to plan._

_Mizumachi had stopped him, hardly a foot before the goal line._

_It wasn't over yet._

Kakei leaned back into the water and brought his arms forward, pushing the water out and causing it to splash against Sena's small body. The moon caused small droplets to sparkle as they settled against Sena's skin, almost like the beads of sweat he'd only just been cleansed of. Kakei hunched forward and looked up from his now shorter position at the running back. He smiled at the tall shadow Sena carried on the water and looked up at one of his most formidable rivals.

"I look forward to it."

* * *

A/N: :D

I'm pretty happy with this. The timeline doesn't really make sense (this hot before the Spring tournament? Um, not so sure. =/ ) but oh well. What did you think of this one? I'd love your perception on this pairing, and I hope I did it justice for you. Until later!


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